Coffee: It’s Not Just A Drink

A student flaunts their decadent drink, left untouched until arrival at school.

By Celia B.

At Duxbury High School, fashion trends ebb and flow with the speed and punctuation of the beach’s tide. One minute, popular fads dominate every hallway; then, they’re flung aside never to be worn again, officially deemed “out.” However, there is one item that will never go out of style, morning beverages.

During the first three blocks of school, numerous students clutch their portable cups, whether they be filled with Dunkin Donuts’ flavor shot iced coffee, Gunther Tooties’ sweet tea, or even Marylou’s. “Where you buy your drink says a lot,” said sophomore Hannah L., a fierce proponent of raspberry iced tea from Gunther’s, “and what you actually get says even more.” School librarian Mrs. Miller agreed. “If you do not have the right size drink from the right place, you do not fit in. [Breakfast drinks] have become a social thing.”

Tea or coffee, it is safe to say that although many students buy drinks simply to flaunt them, many also rely heavily on the ones they bring. “I can’t live without coffee,” sophomore Christine K. said. Sophomore Riley D. admitted that she and her mother buy coffee every day of the year, even on Christmas. Contrary to some teenagers’ idea of coffee (tiny amounts of actual coffee doused with milk, sugar, and flavoring syrup), Riley gets the real deal, with minimal sugar added. For it’s not the sugar Riley claims to need, it’s the caffeine.

School nurse Mrs. Malone does not think caffeine is wise for teenagers. “It is an addictive substance,” she said. While students present the counterargument that caffeine helps keep them awake after stressful nights where the amount of sleep and homework are inversely proportional, Mrs. Malone went on to add, “If you’re tired, get enough rest and exercise.”